Triquetra
by Aeon65
Summary: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days? Slash HoratioSpeed COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

**Author's Note**: definition: triquerta – trahy-kwee-truh _noun_ -a geometrical figure having three points, esp. one formed of three intersecting ellipses: _The triquetra was often used in ancient art to symbolize a triune deity._

**Author's Note 2:** Follows _The Miami Murders_

888

Tim awoke slowly and stretched. He glanced over at the clock, and seeing that it read 9:30, he smiled. Horatio had let him sleep in. He had hoped that they would have both gotten the day off, but no such luck. Horatio was working a high profile case that involved the mayor's office and a politically motivated break-in. It wasn't a difficult case but anything that involved the mayor required special handling and Horatio was so good at that.

He hoped that he wouldn't be kept too late at the lab. It was their first anniversary and Tim had plans for the evening. His stomach fluttered at the thought of what was going to happen tonight. He rolled out of bed. There was a lot to do to get ready and he needed to get started. As he turned he noticed a piece of paper lying on Horatio's pillow. He picked it up and read, _Morning sleepyhead, Hope you enjoyed your morning in. I left you a surprise in the kitchen. Promise I won't be late. Love H._

Tim smiled. He decided to postpone his shower in favor of finding out what Horatio had left for him. He pulled on an old pair of jeans, not bothering with a shirt and headed down the hallway to the kitchen. There on the table he found a vase containing a dozen red roses and a small card. Next to it was a bakery box tied with red ribbon. He approached slowly as if the items would disappear if he moved too fast.

He bent down to smell the flowers before he took the card and removed it from its envelope. He read, _To My Darling Tim, For a wonderful first year and the hope of many more to come. Love, Horatio._ He felt tears forming. No one had ever given him flowers before. He never really thought of himself as a flower sort of guy and he wasn't sure how to react at first. He quickly wiped his eyes then glanced at the box sitting next to the vase. He looked at the label printed in the corner and his smile grew wider.

He picked the box up and removed the ribbon then slowly opened the lid. It was full of breakfast pastries from his favorite bakery, the one he only went to for very special occasions. He got that flutter in his stomach again. Horatio was going all out but Tim had a surprise for him later, one that he would not forget. He made some coffee and sat down to enjoy his breakfast before getting ready to go out.

He took a moment to call Horatio before he stepped into the shower. The call went straight to voicemail so he left a message to thank him for the flowers and to promise him a more personal thank you later.

888

Horatio walked down the hall on his way to the print lab with his cell phone to his ear. "Yes, sir," he said into the phone. "I'm heading there now to check on the progress." He walked into the lab and stopped in front of Eric. "Yes, sir. I will keep you updated," he said finally and hung up.

Eric looked over at him. "Mayor?" he asked.

"Police Commissioner," Horatio answered. As he went to put his phone away, he noticed his voicemail indicator was on. "Do we have anything on the prints we found yet?"

"Still running. We pulled elimination samples from everyone who had a reason to be in the office and found one set that didn't belong. AFIS is still searching for a match."

"All right, run it against the state employee database as well," he said as he left.

Horatio opened his phone and dialed his voicemail as he headed back to his office. He smiled as he heard Tim's voice. His mind wandered off as he listened. He was not paying attention to where he was walking and ran smack into Rick Stettler, sending the file he was carrying to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Rick," he said as he crouched down to help the other man pick up the myriad of papers that scattered on the floor. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Rick answered. After collecting his file back up he looked at Horatio and said, "You should keep your mind on the case, Horatio," and walked off.

Horatio stared after him, somewhat confused. 'Is he a mind reader, now?' he thought.

888

After stopping at the barber's shop to get a haircut, Tim headed to the grocer's to pick up what he needed to make dinner. He stopped home quickly to store the groceries away, then called Jeff.

"Hey, I was just checking to see if you were up," he said.

'I'm up. And I have it ready,' Jeff replied.

"Great. See you in half an hour."

He pulled his bike into the driveway and Jeff greeted him at the door. Tim walked in and dropped his helmet on the sofa.

"So," Jeff said. "You all ready for tonight?"

"As I'll ever be," Tim replied. "You got it?"

Jeff went into another room and returned with a small box. Tim took the box from him and examined its contents. He sighed. "Thanks for holding it for me."

"No problem. By the way, your hands are shaking," Jeff said with mild amusement.

"Nervous, I guess," Tim replied.

"What's the big deal? You've been through this before."

"Yeah," Tim said hesitantly. "But last time I was on the receiving end. David proposed to me."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

**Author's Note**: definition: triquetra – (trahy-kwee-truh) _noun_ -a geometrical figure having three points, esp. one formed of three intersecting ellipses: _The triquetra was often used in ancient art to symbolize a triune deity._

888

Horatio stood in the mayor's office explaining what they had so far learned about the break in. "We found a set of prints that didn't match any of the elimination samples we took from you and your staff," he explained. "The prints came back to a small time thief." He passed a file over the desk to the mayor. "He's in the wind right now. We have every available officer out looking for him. Bulletins have been put out state wide."

"So, you think he's responsible for this mess?" the mayor asked.

"All I know, sir, is that he was in this office. To what purpose, I won't know until we find him," Horatio answered as he glanced at his watch.

"Am I keeping you from something, Lieutenant?"

"There is somewhere I need to be," Horatio replied.

"Back at your lab?"

"Well, no. Actually, I need to get home."

The mayor raised an eyebrow. "In the middle of an important case?"

Horatio considered exactly what to tell him. He could lie, but he couldn't think of anything more pressing than the truth. "It's my anniversary, sir. I have plans," he said, hoping the mayor wouldn't ask any specific questions.

"Lieutenant Caine, I didn't know you were married," the mayor said.

Horatio groaned inwardly. He should have kept his mouth shut. "Well, I'm not. It's the anniversary of our first date, a year ago."

The mayor smiled. "Are you planning on popping the question tonight?" he asked.

For a moment Horatio didn't know how to respond. "Well, um, that depends," he lied.

Noting Horatio's sudden discomfort, the mayor said, "Sorry Lieutenant, it's really none of my business. But don't go too far tonight. If they find this guy, I want you to be the one to question him."

He agreed and as he headed out the door the mayor called to him, "And tell the little lady I said congratulations."

Horatio tried to suppress a smile. "Will do," he said.

As he walked back to his car, he thought about what the mayor had said about popping the question. The thought had occurred to him, on more than one occasion. But he was hesitant. He felt he should leave that decision to Tim, mostly because of David. He didn't want Tim to feel that he was stepping on David's memory. Besides, it wasn't like anything would change for them legally. He was content, for the time being, to allow their relationship to progress as it had been. For now, he just wanted to get home, forget about work, and spend the evening with the man he loved.

888

Tim laid out his clothes for the evening, then went into the bathroom to shave. He was all ready. All he had to do was to make dinner and change his clothes. That is, if his hand would stop shaking. He took a deep breath. 'Calm down, Speed,' he thought. 'You don't want to slice fingers along with the vegetables.' He grabbed his MP3 player and headed out to the kitchen to start dinner.

He worked, happily, in the kitchen and allowed himself to be distracted by the music coming through his headphones. He was oblivious to everything around him except for the music and the food.

888

Horatio inserted his key into the lock of the front door. Upon opening the door he inhaled deeply and was immediately confronted with a strong aroma. He closed and latched the door behind him then turned toward the kitchen. He was greeted by the sight of Tim, barefoot, clad in an old pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, moving around the kitchen to the music coming through his headphones and preparing their dinner. He hadn't heard Horatio enter.

Tim turned suddenly and noticed Horatio standing there with a faraway look in his eyes. He pulled his earbuds out, "Horatio, how long have you been standing there?"

"Just a minute, I just got in." He walked into the kitchen and gave him a kiss. "Dinner smells wonderful, as usual."

"Thanks, I'm making your favorite." He smiled, "Happy anniversary, H."

"Happy anniversary, Tim."

"You're home earlier than I expected. Case solved already?" Tim asked.

"I wish. We're at a stand still. We have a suspect, but, at present, we can't find him," Horatio answered. "But I don't want to talk about work tonight." He reached a hand out and stroked Tim's cheek. "You shaved."

"I wasn't expecting you for a little while yet. I wanted to change my clothes too."

"You don't need to. I like you like this."

Tim looked down at himself. "What, you like me barefoot and in the kitchen?" he teased. "And, just so you know, I don't do pregnant."

Horatio pursed his lips. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Tim couldn't help laughing. "I know. I'm just teasing. And, despite popular belief, I don't mind putting on a suit. Especially for a special occasion."

"Well," Horatio said with a smile, "then, don't let me stop you." The thought of Tim all dressed up was almost as appealing as the thought of Tim laid out naked. Almost.

Tim went to the kitchen to check on dinner. "It'll be ready in twenty minutes," he said. Then he headed to the bedroom to change.

Horatio went to the refrigerator and pulled out the bottle of wine that had been chilling. He poured himself a glass and took a drink, then reached into his suit pocket to check that his surprise for Tim was still there. He felt the keys jingle and smiled.

Tim walked out of the bedroom wearing a dark brown suit with a black shirt and tie. The colors complemented his hair and eyes well. He walked up to Horatio, who eyed him appreciatively. "Nice," he said as he leaned in for a kiss. Then he whispered in his ear, "I look forward to removing it from you later."

Tim felt himself flush. "I think I need a drink," he said. Horatio laughed and poured him a glass of wine.

"So, you still want to have everyone over this weekend?"

Tim nodded as he took a sip of his wine. "Yeah, I already have everything planned."

As Tim turned to look at the oven timer, Horatio noticed that his suit didn't seem to fall correctly on his body. "You have something in your pocket," he said.

Tim froze for a moment.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

**Author's Note**: definition: triquetra – (trahy-kwee-truh) _noun_ -a geometrical figure having three points, esp. one formed of three intersecting ellipses: _The triquetra was often used in ancient art to symbolize a triune deity._

**Author's Note 2:** I stopped where I did after the last chapter because I still wasn't sure how to gage Speed's reaction to being busted about the ring in his pocket. I needed some time to figure it out. The I received a comment over at my livejournal from **ilh214** that gave me a great opening line and set the mood for the proposal. So thanks a bunch.

888

Tim glanced over his shoulder and saw that Horatio had a smug look on his face.

"You know," Tim said. "Sometimes it's frustrating dating another CSI. I can't hide anything from you."

Horatio smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "What is it?" he asked.

Tim turned to face him. "It's a surprise, for after dinner," he replied.

"But, now you've got me curious," Horatio said as he stood up. "And you know…"

"…there's nothing worse that a curious CSI," Tim finished with a smile. He shook his head. "I had this all planned out."

Horatio approached him. "Well, you know what they said about the best laid plans."

Tim placed his hand over his pocket. "But I had a whole speech prepared," he said as he backed away from his curious lover.

"A speech," Horatio said. "Now I am intrigued."

"You're not going to leave me alone, now, are you," Tim said with a smile. Horatio shook his head. Tim sighed. "Okay, okay." He was suddenly nervous again and he couldn't remember exactly what he had planned to say. He looked over at Horatio and said, "Stop staring at me. You're making me nervous."

Horatio raised an eyebrow. He was dying of curiosity.

"Okay, so, uh, I wanted to say something to you." Tim took a breath, shuffled his feet and fingered the box in his pocket. "This last year's been, uh, well, great. I, uh, never thought, you know, after David, that I would ever find someone again. And, uh,… damn it, why am I so nervous."

Horatio reached out and took his hand. "It's okay. Just say what you want to say."

Tim took another deep breath. "I want us to grow old together, Horatio." He pulled the box from his pocket. "Will you go through a commitment ceremony with me?" He opened the box and showed Horatio the ring. "Marry me," he said finally.

Horatio's eyes widened as Tim handed him the box. He stared at it for a moment, not believing what he'd just heard. Tim actually wanted to marry him. His heart was pounding. Tim actually wanted this. He lost his voice for a moment.

Tim reached out to him. "Horatio?" he questioned. "Say something."

Horatio locked eyes with him and smiled. "Yes."

Tim gave him a shy smile. "Really?"

Horatio nodded then leaned forward and kissed him. "Really," he said when they came up for air. "I want us to spend the rest of our lives together too."

Tim took the ring out of the box and then took Horatio's right hand in his. He placed the ring on his ring finger. "It's a promise ring. We can get matching wedding bands."

Horatio looked at the ring on his finger. It was a silver band with a gold inlaid design, two Celtic knots side by side. "It's beautiful," he said. "What's the design?"

"Triquetra. Trinity knots. In Celtic mythology, the trinity knot represents a triune deity," Tim explained. "The modern interpretation is 'mind, body, and spirit.' Yours and mine," he said as he pointed to each knot. "I was thinking we could have the ceremony this weekend, at the party. Stephen can officiate."

A thought struck Horatio just then. "Did Jeff know you were planning to do this?" he asked.

Tim nodded. "Yeah, he was holding the ring for me."

Horatio laughed. "I think he set me up." Tim raised an eyebrow. "I spoke to him last week. I couldn't decide what to get you. I asked for his advice."

"I'm almost afraid to ask," Tim said hesitantly. "What did he suggest?"

Horatio reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. Tim shot him a puzzled look. "Keys? He suggested you get me keys?"

"They're the keys to his beach house," Horatio said.

Tim's face lit up. "The one in Key West?" he asked.

"Jeff suggested that I arrange for some time off for both of us. We can go down there and spend time together, alone."

Tim couldn't help laughing. "He gave us our honeymoon."

"As soon as this current case is solved," Horatio said.

888

There was a ringing sound coming from somewhere. Horatio stirred and reached a hand over to the nightstand. His fingers made contact with his cell phone. He grabbed the phone then curled himself back around Tim. He put the phone to his ear and said, "Yeah," sleepily.

'Horatio, sorry to call so early,' the voice on the phone said.

Horatio recognized it as Frank Tripp. "Frank," he said. "It's okay, what is it?"

'Brevard County sheriff just called. They caught your thief about twenty minutes ago in a little town called Grant. They're working on getting him back to Miami,' Frank explained.

Horatio had woken up enough to be able to ask, "When will he be here?"

'Not before noon,' Frank replied.

Tim groaned. "What time is it?" he muttered.

Horatio asked Frank, "What time is it?"

'Quarter to six,' he said.

"Quarter to six," Horatio relayed the information.

Tim groaned again. "Need more sleep," he muttered.

It didn't occur to Horatio in his sleepy state that Frank could hear what was going on. He said, "Fine. We'll be in before he gets there," and hung up. He dropped the phone back on the nightstand then snuggled in close to Tim again. He snaked his arm around Tim's waist and settled it for some more sleep.

888

Frank stared at his phone for a moment. He'd known that Horatio was seeing someone. He supposed it was not unreasonable that they were sleeping together. But what did he mean by 'We'll be in.'

'He must be dating someone from the lab,' he thought. There weren't that many women at the lab. Calliegh was the first one who came to mind, and the most likely. But he was pretty sure that she was still dating John Hagen and that didn't sound like Calliegh on the phone. In a passing moment he thought that it didn't even sound like a woman, but he shook his head and dismissed that idea immediately. 'Yeah, right,' he thought.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

888

The sun filtered in through the blinds covering the bedroom window. It slowly progressed across the floor as it made it's way toward the center of the room. It crawled up the side of the bed until it finally shone across Horatio's face. He grumbled and threw an arm over his eyes. After a few moments, he peeked out from underneath and looked at the clock. Three hours had passed since the phone call from Frank.

He rolled to his side, propped himself up on one elbow and glanced down at his sleeping fiancé. He looked at the ring on his finger. Married. He was going to get married. He never thought that he would find anyone that he wanted to spend more than a few weeks with and now his was planning to spend the rest of his life with Tim. He had to admit that the idea of a commitment of that magnitude scared him a little.

He shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts. He didn't feel doubt, just nervous. He guessed that this was how you're supposed to feel when you're getting married in less than a week. He reached over and ran his fingers through his lover's unruly brown curls. Tim stirred but didn't wake. He lay on his back with one hand resting on his stomach and the other over his head. His face was peaceful with his lips slightly parted.

Horatio couldn't resist, so he leaned down and kissed him. Tim's eyes fluttered open and he smiled. "Morning," he said sleepily.

Horatio smiled back. "Morning," he replied.

"I like your idea of a wake up call. What time is it?" Tim asked.

"Little after eight thirty," he answered. Tim stretched. Horatio continued, "I have to get in to the lab. My suspect should be there by noon. But, I was thinking, we have time to share a shower, if you want to get up now."

Tim waggled his eyebrows. "Sounds like a plan." Horatio leaned down and kissed him again, this time slowly, taking his time. When they came up for air Tim said, "If you keep that up, we won't make it to the shower."

888

Horatio pulled his car into the lot at CSI. He looked over at Tim who sat next to him. "So what do you think? Can the rings be my surprise for you?" he asked.

"If it means that much to you. But go for simple, okay. Nothing fancy," Tim said.

Horatio nodded. "Deal. I know the perfect place. And don't worry." He gave Tim's hand a squeeze, a gesture they had come to use instead of a kiss when they were in a public place.

As they got out of the car Frank walked up. "Carpooling today, are we?" he asked.

Horatio and Tim exchanged a glance over the top of the car. "Uh, yeah," Tim said. "My bike's in the shop." He looked over at Horatio and said, "Thanks for the ride," then he turned and headed up the front steps.

"So," Frank said once Tim was out of earshot. "What's going on with Speedle?"

"What do you mean, Frank?" Horatio asked in his most innocent voice.

"Cut the crap, Horatio," the Texan said, getting aggravated. "It took me a bit, but I recognized his voice from the phone call this morning." Horatio just looked at him. "You gonna deny it?"

Horatio simply turned an headed up the steps. "Come on, Frank. We have an interview to prepare for."

Frank rolled his eyes and chased after him. "Horatio, wait," he called. When he caught up, he said, "Look, I'm sorry okay. It's none of my business. I'm just tying to understand."

Several people walked past them and through the entrance of the building. "Frank," Horatio said quietly. "Can we not talk about this now, please." His cell phone rang and he answered it. After a moment he said, "They have our suspect in an interview room. Let's get going."

888

Horatio was getting frustrated. After almost an hour of questioning, the suspect was still not giving them any useful information. Finally, he looked over at Frank and cocked his head toward the door. Both men exited the room and Horatio shut the door.

"I don't think he's going to cooperate with us, Frank," Horatio said.

Frank concurred. "Got any brilliant ideas?"

"Let's give him a reason to. Throw him in lockup seven for the afternoon," Horatio suggested.

Frank smiled. "With the violent offenders. Brilliant. I'll bet he's singing like a canary when we come back for him." He gave the order to the uniformed officer and waited as their suspect was walked out of the room.

He looked over at Horatio. "So, you feel like having that little talk now?" he asked.

Horatio sighed. "If you insist, Frank. Let's go grab some lunch." Frank agreed. "I just have to make one stop first."

Frank was fairly certain as to what Horatio's errand was going to be and he was proven right when he found himself standing outside the trace lab a few minutes later. "Be right back," Horatio said as he entered the lab.

The detective could see what was going on through the glass wall of the lab but Horatio had closed the door so he couldn't hear. Tim was bent over a microscope with his headphones on. He didn't hear Horatio enter the room. Frank watched as Horatio stood there for a moment looking at Tim, then he reached out with two fingers and pulled on the headphone cord, popping one of Tim's earbuds out.

The younger man looked up, initially with an annoyed expression which softened when he realized who had interrupted his music. Both men laughed. They talked for a moment then Tim looked over at Frank through the window. He looked back at Horatio and said something to which Horatio nodded. After a moment Tim reached out and took Horatio's hand then a few moments later Horatio opened the door.

Frank heard Tim call out, "Make the reservations around seven. This analysis is gonna take the rest of the afternoon."

He stepped up to Farnk and asked, "You ready?" Frank nodded. "The dinner around the corner okay for you?"

"Yeah, sure," Frank answered.

As they walked out Horatio called for his dinner reservations, then they got into Tripp's car and headed off for lunch.

The diner was a local cop hangout so they grabbed a booth near the back of the place so they could talk without anyone else hearing them. They ordered their food and some coffee and sat in silence for a few moments.

Frank finally said, "So, how long have you been, well, uh, you know."

Horatio raised an eyebrow. "You mean gay?" he asked. Frank winced slightly when he said that but he nodded. "It's not a disease, Frank. You don't catch it. I've always been this way."

"But I'm sure I've seen you with women, Horatio."

He wasn't all that comfortable talking about this with Frank. But the other man seemed to asking questions without passing judgment so he felt obliged. "It took me a long time and Speed's help to become comfortable with who I am. So, yeah, I've dated women, but, they never meant anything to me."

"How long have the two of you been together?" Frank asked.

"A year," Horatio answered.

Frank was surprised. "A year? And you've managed to keep it hidden all this time?"

Horatio shook his head. "The rest of my team know."

"And they're okay with it?"

Horatio nodded. "It hasn't affected our ability to do our jobs."

Frank was silent for a few moments while he picked at his food. "You, um,… you have strong feelings for him?" he asked.

Horatio ducked his head, preferring to look at his plate rather than Frank as he said, "I love him, Frank."

Frank nodded. He was having trouble wrapping his brain around the idea that Lieutenant Horatio Caine was gay, not to mention Speedle. Though somehow it was easier to believe about Speed.

They sat in silence for a while, each man with his own thoughts. Finally Horatio looked up and asked, "Frank, are you okay with all of this?"

The other man took a moment before he answered. "I don't know. I guess so."

Horatio looked at his watch. "We should get back. If I'm right, our guy should be just about ready to talk."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Triquetra

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

888

Frank signaled to the waitress for the check. When Horatio reached for his wallet, he said, "I got it."

"Thanks," Horatio replied.

As Frank counted out the money for the check and tip, he said, "You know, I'd be careful if I were you?"

"How so?"

"This whole thing with the mayor. You know he was elected on a conservative platform," he said. Horatio nodded. "If he gets wind of this thing…"

"It's not a thing, Frank. It's my life," Horatio shot back.

Frank held up a hand. "Sorry, that's not what I meant. Look, all I'm saying is that he's got strong opinions and a lot of clout. He could make things difficult for you. For both of you."

"Let me worry about that, Frank," Horatio said.

888

Calliegh walked into the trace lab. Tim was sitting at the table taking some notes on the case he was working on. "Hey, Tim. You got the trace results on the Turner case?"

"Yeah," he replied. He flipped through some files and handed one over to her.

"Thanks. By the way, how was the anniversary dinner last night?" Tim didn't meet her eyes but he smiled and she swore she saw him blush. "That good, huh?" Calliegh said with a smile of her own. She turned to leave then turned back and asked, "Is the party still on for Saturday?"

Tim nodded. "Yep, but there's a slight change in the plan." Calliegh looked at him expectantly. "Well, we um, we're getting married," he said a little sheepishly.

"What? When?"

Tim looked at his feet. "Um, Saturday. At the party," he answered. He looked over at Calliegh and tried to gage her response.

She smiled at him. "When did you decide this?" she asked.

"Well, um, last night. I asked him and he said yes."

She stepped close and pulled him into a hug. Taken by surprise, he didn't immediately respond. But then he wrapped his arms around her. "Congratulations. I'm happy for both of you."

Just then Eric walked into the room and stopped. "Hey, I thought you didn't like girls," he teased. Tim pulled back and shot him his best 'fuck you, Delko' look.

Calliegh said, "I was just saying congratulations, Eric."

"For what?" he asked.

Calliegh looked over at Tim who cleared his throat and said, "Horatio and I have decided to get married."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Really. When?"

"Saturday."

"At your party?" Tim nodded. "So we all get to be there for your ceremony?" Again Tim nodded. "Cool. How did Alexx take the news?"

Suddenly Tim's eyes went wide and he paled slightly. Eric smiled. "You forgot to tell her, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah," he said as he bolted from the room and headed for the elevator. He called back over his shoulder. "If she asks, I told her first."

He paced back and forth in the elevator car as it descended to the lower level. His palms were sweating. He was almost as nervous about telling Alexx as he was about asking Horatio to marry him. The elevator doors opened and he wiped his hands on his jeans before exiting.

He found Alexx in one of the autopsy rooms elbow deep in a chest cavity. But, at least she was alone. He pushed the door all of the way open and said, "Hey, Alexx."

She looked over her shoulder but didn't remove her hands from the body on her table. "Timmy, what can I do for you." She was fishing for something. Tim wrinkled his brow. "Ah ha," she said and slowly removed one hand. Between her fingers was a bullet. "Been lookin' for that for twenty minutes." Tim chuckled. "You're in a good mood today. How was the anniversary celebration?"

Tim smirked and blushed again. He had to stop doing that. It was getting to be embarrassing. "That good, huh?" Alexx said.

"Yeah, if you must know. It was. We're getting married, Alexx."

"Married. Oh, Timmy. That's great news. I'd give you a hug but…" She held up her hands.

"That's okay," he responded with a smile. He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, careful to avoid the mess on her hands. "The ceremony's gonna be on Saturday, at the party."

"Oh, I can't wait. Where's Horatio?" she asked.

"Lunch with Tripp. He's figured things out. He and Horatio went to have a little talk in private."

"Everything all right?" Alexx asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I think so. It's always hard to tell with Frank what he thinks about things."

888

On the ride back from the diner, Horatio was having a mental argument with himself. He was trying to figure out just how open Frank really was to the idea of him and Speed. It seemed pretty obvious that he wouldn't make any trouble for them but there was still a question in his mind about Frank's attitude toward them. As they pulled into the parking lot at CSI he came to a decision.

Frank shut off the engine and as he reached for the door Horatio stopped him. "Hang on a second, Frank," he said. "I have something I want to ask you."

"Horatio, look, I said I'm okay with all this. I'm not gonna cause any problems for you," Frank said.

Horatio smiled and ducked his head. "I know. That's not what I was going to say."

"What then?"

"We're having a party this weekend. Saturday. I was going to ask if you want to come. We're, uh, getting married," he said.

"Married? Well the last time I checked, Florida had a law against that."

"A civil law, yeah. It's called a commitment ceremony, performed by a Unitarian minister. A friend of ours." He looked over at Frank and continued, "Think about it." He pulled a pen and one of his business cards out of his jacket pocket and jotted something down. "Here, this is our address. Party's at one."

Frank took the card but did not say whether or not he would be there.

888

By the time they returned from lunch, their suspect was ready to talk. The problem was that Horatio didn't believe the story he was telling. The guy said he thought that there was money in the safe and that that was why he had broken in. The question then became, why had he taken several sensitive files and left some others behind when he hadn't found any money.

His confession was enough for them to hold him for breaking and entering and it would allow then some time to investigate further. Horatio called the police commissioner and gave him an update. He would pass the information on to the mayor's office. Horatio was just as glad he would not have to deal with the mayor personally for the moment.

He finally had a moment to head over to the trace lab. He found Tim talking to Calliegh. They were discussing the trace results for a case she was working on. Calliegh looked up when Horatio entered. "Hey," she said with a smile. "I hear congratulations are in order."

Horatio ducked his head and smiled. "Thanks," he said shyly.

"I hope you don't mind," Tim said. "I told Eric and Alexx also."

"Of course not," he said.

They stood silent for a moment then Calliegh said, "I'll just leave you two alone. Thanks for the trace results, Tim," she said as she left.

Once Calliegh had closed the door to the lab Tim asked, "How'd it go with Tripp?"

"Okay, I think. I asked him to join us on Saturday."

"What did he say?"

Horatio sighed. "He didn't. I told him to think about it."

Tim nodded. "Do you think he's going to be a problem for us?"

Horatio shook his head. "No, definitely not." He stood silent for a moment.

"Horatio, there's something you're not telling me. What is it?"

Horatio chuckled. "What was that you were saying last night about dating a CSI?" Tim smiled at him. Horatio took a breath. "How important is this job to you?"

Tim looked away from him for a moment, then looked back. "You think we have a problem?" he asked.

"Not at the moment. I'm just asking," Horatio responded.

"You know I love what I do, as much as I know you do." He paused for a moment. "But you also know that I don't need to work. We could easily live off what I make from the club. If someone made me choose between my job and you, there is no choice." He took Horatio's hand. "I said last night that I want us to grow old together, and I meant it."

He squeezed Horatio's hand. Horatio smiled and squeezed back. "Thanks," he said. They stood there for a moment then Horatio said, "Well, for the moment we both still have jobs and we better get back to them."

Tim smiled. "Sure thing boss."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Triquetra

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

888

Tim and Horatio sat at their table waiting for the waiter to bring their dinner orders. Tim glanced over at Horatio and asked casually, "So have you decided where you're going to get the rings yet?"

Horatio glanced down at his hands, avoiding Tim's eyes. "You remember me telling you about my friend Louis Toussaint?"

Tim raised an eyebrow. "Your ex from New York, who owns the jewelry store downtown?"

Horatio nodded. "Yeah and I was thinking, maybe we should go together. It would make more sense to make that decision together, you know."

Tim smiled. "Does this mean you're finally gonna let me meet Louis?"

Horatio smirked. "That would be part of the deal."

Horatio had talked often about Louis. He was the only one of his ex-lovers that he was still friendly with. Louis was a former diamond merchant from New York City who had retired to Miami and opened a jewelry store. He was older than Horatio by fifteen years and Tim had mused as to what the two of them must have been like together, an Irish, Catholic cop and a Jewish diamond merchant. He had to admit, he was looking forward to meeting this man.

888

Horatio's case was not going well. When he arrived at the lab the next morning, he was informed that his suspect had hired an attorney who had requested an immediate bail hearing. It was likely that he would be free on bail by the afternoon and Horatio's team had no evidence to hold him or to charge him further. They were at a stand still and he informed the police commissioner. Unless the guy confessed, all they could charge him with was breaking and entering.

He spent most of the rest of the morning in his office doing paperwork. He took a short break to call Louis and tell him that he wanted to stop by the store that evening. The old man was thrilled when Horatio told him why but made him feel just a little guilty for not calling sooner. Around noon he decided to head down to the labs to find Tim and to see if he was interested in some lunch.

Tim was sitting in his lab chatting with Eric while he waited for the mass spectrometer to spit out some test results. Eric glance over at him. "So, you nervous about this weekend?" he asked.

Tim shrugged. "I think Horatio's more nervous. I've been through this before."

Eric smirked. "Yeah, I saw the pictures. Do we get to see you in a tuxedo this time?"

"No," Tim answered emphatically. "We're doing casual. David insisted on the formal thing. I couldn't talk him out of it."

"So, you two gonna have any family there?"

Tim glanced down and shook his head. He would have loved for his parents to be there, just like he would have loved for them to be there when he and David had their ceremony. But he knew that wasn't going to happen. They didn't approve and he hadn't even told his mother this time.

"No," he answered. "Horatio has no family. His brother was killed in the line of duty a few years back and his parents died over twenty years ago."

"What about you?"

"Only child. And I haven't spoken to my father in seventeen years, so…" he let the thought trail off. Eric was shaking his head. Tim asked, "What?"

"I'm just trying to imagine what it would be like to have no family around. Between my parents, my sisters, nieces, nephews. I just can't picture it."

"Well, I guess you find family where ever you can," Tim replied, looking Eric in the eyes.

Eric got what he was saying and smiled at him. Horatio walked in and looked between the two men. "Did I miss something?" he asked.

Both men laughed. "No," Tim answered him. "Just talking about family."

Horatio raised an eyebrow, but didn't question him. "Well, I came down here to see if anyone wants to grab something to eat with me."

Tim looked at his watch. "Mass spec's got at least another hour, so I'm game. Delko?"

Eric replied, "Only if you're buying. I'm broke."

Tim rolled his eyes and Horatio answered, "It's on me. Come on, I'm starving."

888

As they walked out to the car at the end of the day, Tim noticed that Horatio was being unusually quiet. When they got into the car he decided to ask, "You're awfully quiet. Anything wrong?"

Horatio smirked. "No. Just preparing myself mentally." Tim raised an eyebrow. "I haven't actually seen Louis in just over a year. We've talked on the phone but, he has this way of making you feel guilty about things that tend to be out of your control. Not having the time to see him is one of those things."

Tim laughed. "I'm definitely looking forward to this."

Horatio looked over at him and said, "You say that now."

They pulled up in front of the store and got out of the car. Horatio walked around the side of the car, stopped and took a deep breath. "Okay, lets go," he said.

The store was quiet. There was only one other customer, a young man who was chatting with one of the clerks at one end of the counter. A buzzer sounded as they entered and an older man stepped out from the back room. He looked to be in his early sixties and was a head shorter than Horatio. He was balding and wore thick glasses. He looked toward the front of the store and spread his arms.

"Horatio, my boy," he said. He walked around the counter and pulled Horatio into a fierce hug, which Horatio returned. "It's been far too long." He kissed Horatio on the cheek before he released him.

"I know Louis. I just get busy."

"Still out saving the world, Horatio?" he asked.

Horatio ducked his head and smiled. He held a hand out to Tim. "Louis, I'd like you to meet Tim Speedle. Tim, this is Louis."

Tim held out a hand to Louis. "A pleasure to meet you," he said.

Louis shook his hand, then looked him up and down. He looked over at Horatio and said, "Horatio, you're robbing the cradle. He's just a boy." Horatio rolled his eyes.

Tim tried to look indignant. "I'm thirty-six," he said.

Louis looked him over again and nodded. "Sorry, my boy. Just ignore the musing of an old man." Tim couldn't help but smile at him. "And don't argue when someone thinks you look younger than you are. You know, these days, I go into the stores, and I don't even have to ask for a senior's discount anymore. They just assume I'm old enough," he said, patting Tim's hand.

He didn't let go of Tim's hand as he reached over and took Horatio's. "So, you two are settling down. We need to find you the right set of rings. Come over here." He lead them over to one of the counters.

"By the way, Louis," Horatio said. "Will you come to the ceremony on Saturday?"

The old man beamed. "I wouldn't miss it, boys."

The young man at the other end of the counter had finished his business and was watching this exchange with more interest than a complete strange should. He walked out of the store and stopped at the curb. He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed.

After a moment, his call was answered. He said, "Mr. Mayor, it's Juan Carlos, one of your clerks. You'll never guess what I just witnessed."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Triquetra

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

888

The mayor hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. A slow smile spread across his face. He reached down and opened his desk drawer, checking its contents. This could definitely work in his favor. Definitely. His smile grew wider. He reached down and locked the drawer, got up, and left his office for the evening.

888

It was past closing time and the clerk had already left, locking the door behind her. Louis sat at the counter with Horatio and Tim. "So, what do you think?" he asked.

Horatio smiled and shook his head. "They're beautiful, Louis. Are you sure you can have them ready by Saturday?"

Louis gave him a stern look. "Are you doubting my abilities now, Horatio?"

"Never," he replied affectionately.

Louis' expression softened. "You'll have them Friday. You have my word."

As he went to pull out his wallet, Horatio asked, "How much do I owe you, Louis?"

"Horatio, you put that away right now," he said suddenly. "This is my gift to both of you. And don't you dare argue with me, boy."

Horatio ducked his head and smiled. "As I recall, that was always a fruitless effort."

"Good," the old man said simply. "Now, you're both going to let me take you out to dinner to celebrate. I have a standing reservation at the Provence Grill."

He didn't wait for an answer or an argument. As Louis began straightening up and putting things away, Horatio glanced over at Tim, who raised an eyebrow. Horatio shrugged, leaned in close, and whispered, "I warned you, didn't I?"

888

Horatio arrived at his office around eight-thirty in the morning. Tim had received an early call-out and was already gone when Horatio had gotten up. He sat down at his desk and started doing some paperwork when he noticed the message light on his phone was blinking.

He dialed in to his voicemail and listened. "Lieutenant Caine, this is Mayor Barrett. I need to speak to you. Please come by my office first thing this morning."

888

Horatio found himself walking up the steps of the Miami City Hall building with more than a little trepidation. He wondered what was behind the mayor's cryptic message. He was let into the mayor's office without a wait. As he walked in he noticed that the man behind the desk seemed to be in a good mood, at least he was smiling.

"Lieutenant Caine, take a seat please," he said cheerfully.

Horatio wasn't feeling any more at ease. It was something about the look in the mayor's eyes that bothered him. "Thanks, I'd rather stand," he replied somewhat coldly.

"As you wish," Barrett replied. "I called you here to talk about the case against this fellow who broke into my office and stole the files."

"Well, we have no evidence that he stole anything. Only that he was in here," Horatio said. "We searched his apartment, his vehicle, even the area where he was found hiding was searched. He says he was here looking for money and we haven't been able to shake his story."

Barrett smiled at him. "Well Lieutenant, I think that may be about to change. You see, he did take something. And I need you to supply proof that he took something. And that he destroyed what he took."

"I can't give you what I don't have," Horatio said simply. Then a thought stuck him. "Unless you expect me to fabricate evidence," he said, surprised that those words were even coming out of his mouth. Barrett smiled at him, but said nothing. Horatio was getting angry. "What could possibly make you think that I would do that?"

"Because, Lieutenant Caine, I know your secret."

888

Horatio stalked into the building at CSI. Whether it was the look on his face or the way he was moving he wasn't sure, but people were scattering as he passed. His anger had been building on the ride back from City Hall, so that by the time he arrived, steam was practically rising from him. He couldn't believe that the mayor had expected him to fabricate evidence and for what. He still didn't know that.

He hit the button for the elevator with far more force than necessary. When the car arrived he stepped in and pressed the button for his floor. He leaned back against the wall, closed his eye, and took a deep breath. He had to think. Giving in was not an option, and he'd told the mayor that. His only real option was to go to the commissioner. Not something he wanted to do but if he headed things off before they got going, he would have the upper hand. He pulled out his cell phone and called the commissioner.

When he reached the lab he headed straight for Trace. He filled Speed in on everything that had happened. He knew what he had to do but he needed his partner to know before he did it. This involved both of them. Tim's reaction was predictable, he was pissed. But he supported whatever it was that Horatio had planned. And since he was about to out himself he decided, what the hell. He leaned over and gave Tim a quick kiss, then headed up to the police commissioner's office.

He stood in front of the large oak desk. "Sir, I think we have a problem," he said. "Mayor Barrett has asked me to fabricate evidence on a case. I refused, of course." He supposed telling the mayor to go fuck himself was a form of refusal.

"Why would he do that, Horatio?"

"Because he knows something about me that he thinks he can use to blackmail me with. But I will resign my position before I let that happen," Horatio said with conviction.

The commissioner smirked. "Let me guess, he knows about you and Detective Speedle?"

Horatio was stunned into silence for a moment. "How… how did you know?"

"Come on, Horatio. Do you think there is anything that goes on in my department that I don't know about? The only reason it never became an issue is that the two of you proved very quickly that your relationship didn't affect the way you did your jobs."

"How could you possibly know that?"

The commissioner smiled at him. "Sergeant Stettler. He informed me about eight months ago. He is also the one who assured me that that your working relationship hadn't changed significantly."

Once again, Horatio was surprised. "Rick Stettler vouched for me?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Horatio. And if this is all Mayor Barrett has on you, then you have nothing to worry about. You have my full support. Despite what the mayor thinks, the department has no policy on this sort of thing. Whether or not you're a good cop has nothing to do with who you sleep with."

Horatio nodded. "Yes sir. Thank you."

"Now, there is something I could use your help with." Horatio raised an eyebrow. "There's something going on in the mayor's office. This whole break in thing is just the most recent event. Sergeant Stettler has been looking into some things and I would like for the two of you to touch base. I believe it has to do with the comptroller and a phony set of books. If we're right, that is what he is hiding."

"I still don't understand how this relates to the break in."

"The city comptroller is the mayor's brother-in-law. We think he kept a second set of books and someone else in the mayor's office found out. Near as we can tell, the mayor is being blackmailed himself. This break in provided him with a legitimate excuse to get rid of the incriminating evidence. My guess is that he still has it stored away somewhere."

"And," Horatio continued. "He won't actually get rid of it until I provide him with what he needs to prove that it was stolen. Otherwise it could look like he was destroying evidence. How much proof does Rick have?"

"Some, but this whole situation of yours may give us the opportunity to snare him. How much time did Barrett give you to decide?"

Horatio smirked. "You mean before or after I told him to go fuck himself?" The commissioner burst out laughing. "Until this afternoon."

"Go meet up with Sergeant Stettler. I'm sure the two of you can come up with a plan that will wrap this whole thing up quickly. I'll give him a heads up call now."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Triquetra

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: This story is SLASH. If you don't like that then don't read any further.

**Pairing**: Horatio/Speed

**Summary**: They made it through their first year together, but can they survive the next few days?

**Author's Note**: I had so much trouble trying to come up with commitment vows that didn't sound totally soapy to me that I finally gave up and lifted some form the International Commitment Ceremonies Registrar's website. I believe I have found the vows that suited each of them best, though Tim's were altered slightly to account for his previous marriage to David.

888

Tim watched as Horatio strode into the trace lab and flopped down onto one of the stools. He didn't speak. He just sat there looking at his hands. Finally Tim had to ask, "So, do we still have jobs?"

Horatio's head rose slowly and he met Tim's eyes. "He already knew."

Tim was dumbfounded. "How?"

"Stettler," Horatio replied. "Apparently, they've known all along."

"And, they didn't say anything?" Tim asked slowly.

"They seem to have decided that it's not interfering with our jobs," Horatio said shaking his head. "The commissioner said that's what Stettler reported to him."

"So what do we do now?"

"Well, I have to meet with Rick this morning. They think Barrett is hiding something. My guess is, they want to use me to find out what," Horatio replied.

"So, we just continue on as if nothing's happened?"

Horatio smiled at him. "We get married in two days, Tim, so yeah, we continue on as if nothing has changed," he said.

888

Rick Stettler was sitting at his desk dotting the i's and crossing the t's on his plan when Horatio walked in without knocking. Rick looked up and said, "Horatio, take a seat." He sat in one of the chairs opposite Rick's desk. Rick continued, "We've managed to get a wire tap warrant for Barrett's office based on the statement you gave to the commissioner this morning and some other evidence we obtained earlier." He handed Horatio a paper.

Horatio read over the warrant then looked over at Rick. "You want me to wear a wire and get him to confess," he said matter-of-factly.

Rick gave him a sardonic smile and asked, "How good an actor are you, Horatio?" Horatio raised an eyebrow. Rick knew he'd been undercover before so the question was more rhetorical than serious. "We want you to go to Barrett's office and convince him that you don't want your relationship with Speedle to become public knowledge, that you'll do whatever he wants to keep that from happening." He paused for a moment to try to gage Horatio's reaction to his plan, but the redhead sat there, stone-faced.

Rick sighed. "You will need to make this convincing, Horatio. He can not suspect he's being recorded. Ideally you'll get him to tell you exactly what's in those files he's claiming were stolen and show you where they are hidden."

Horatio looked at his hands and asked, "When?"

"Call him from your cell and set up a meeting for this afternoon, around two. That should give us enough time to get everything in place. We'll wire you up with a short range transmitter and be outside in a van recording the meeting. If you get the information we need, we'll be in to arrest him and this whole thing will be over."

Horatio stood and turned to leave when he stopped. He turned back to Stettler and asked, "Why?"

Rick looked at him for a moment before it occurred to him what Horatio was asking. "Believe it or not Horatio, personally I have no problem with your relationship with Speedle. I happy for both of you."

"But," Horatio prompted him.

Rick pursed his lips. "Professionally, I'm a little disappointed in you. You got involved with a subordinate, and that had the potential to be disastrous to your team and your whole department. You were luck things worked out the way they did."

Horatio smirked. "That is the truth, Rick," he said as he walked out the door.

888

For the second time that day, Horatio found himself walking up the steps to the City Hall building. He took a quick look behind him as he ascended the steps and saw the panel van sitting at the curb. Inside the van, Rick Stettler, an audio tech, and a small team of officers monitored his progress. Once again he was let into Mayor Barrett's office without a wait and he stood in front of the mayor's desk. This time, however, the mayor wasn't smiling. He simply stood there in silence and waited for Horatio to speak.

"I um," Horatio cleared his throat, "I wanted to, um, apologize for, uh, what I said earlier." Barrett still said nothing. "I was, uh, upset and angry," Horatio continued, looking everywhere but at Barrett. "I've been thinking about what you said earlier today."

Barrett nodded. "I figured you'd come around eventually, Lieutenant," he replied confidently.

Horatio found himself cringing inwardly at the man's arrogance, but he kept it off his face. "Yes, sir," he said looking at his hands. "What do you want me to do?"

"I've already told you what I need, Lieutenant," Barrett replied.

He wasn't making this easy. Horatio was used to lying to suspects to get them to confess to their crimes, but this was different. He had to lie about himself. "I know that, sir, but, I need more information if this is to be done right."

Barrett eyed him with a bit of suspicion showing on his face. Back in the van, Rick listened to what was going on and muttered, "Don't blow it, Horatio."

Horatio took a deep breath. "If this isn't done exactly right, sir, we both go down." Still Barrett said nothing. Horatio realized he was going to have to take that extra step so he took a deep breath, turned on his most contrite voice and said, "Look, sir, I don't want this thing going public. I, um, don't think I could live with it. I promise, I will do whatever you want to keep my personal life a secret." He looked up at Barrett. His suspicious look had faded a bit but hadn't completely vanished. Horatio closed his eyes and said quietly, "Including end it with Speedle."

This seemed to do the trick. If Lieutenant Caine was willing to end his relationship then he was likely willing to do whatever was necessary, Barrett thought. "Okay Lieutenant, I believe you. What do you need from me to make this happen?"

"You say a file was stolen. What was in it?" he asked.

"I don't see how that is relevant, Lieutenant."

Horatio pursed his lips. "If you want the confession to be authentic, I need to know." Noting Barrett's skepticism he added, "How likely do you think it is that this guy would break in here, only take one file, and not look at it?"

Barrett thought for a moment before finally answering, "It's a ledger."

"What does it look like?" Horatio asked. Again Barrett hesitated. "Sir, if he took it, he has to know what it looks like and he has to be able to describe it to me."

Barrett took another moment before reaching down and unlocking his desk drawer. He reached in and pulled out a dark green book. Horatio raised an eyebrow and asked, "May I see it? I need to memorize its physical description." His heart was pounding. This is it, he thought.

"All right, Lieutenant," Barrett replied as he handed the ledger over to Horatio. He took the book and made a show of examining it.

Down in the van, Rick said, "That's it. We got him."

A few moments later there was a commotion outside the mayor's door that startled him. He tried to grab for the ledger but Horatio pulled away just as Rick and several uniformed officers pushed their way passed the receptionist and into Barrett's office.

"Joseph Barrett, you're under arrest," Rick said.

"On what charge," Barrett shot back defiantly.

"We'll start with attempted blackmail of a police officer. But I'm sure we can add charges of falsifying government records and evidence tampering among others," Rick replied with a smile.

Barrett glared over at Horatio and said, "Your going down with me Lieutenant. Don't think I'm keeping quiet now."

Horatio tried to control his temper as he replied. "Don't let me stop you. My department already knows, from the commissioner down." Barrett was speechless. Horatio got right up in his face and said, "And just so you know, I would resign my position before I would leave Tim. We're getting married on Saturday, so you can think about that while you're sitting in your jail cell."

He stepped back as the officers lead the mayor out of his office in handcuffs. He handed the book over to Rick who raised an eyebrow. "Married?" he questioned.

Horatio looked down at his hands as he realized what he'd just confessed to in a fit of anger. "Yeah. We're having a commitment ceremony on Saturday," he replied.

888

Tim sat in his lab, too distracted to work. Eric and Calliegh had come by to keep him company. "How do you think it's going?" Calliegh asked. Tim just shook his head.

Suddenly Horatio appeared at the door and all three looked up. Tim stood but couldn't find his voice to ask what had happened and he wasn't able to read the expression on Horatio's face. Having taken no notice of Eric's or Calliegh's presence in the room, Horatio walked up to Tim, took his face in his hands, and descended on his lips. Tim opened his mouth to the kiss and wrapped his arms around Horatio's waist.

Calliegh's eyes widened as she watched the two men kiss. She was transfixed. Eric ducked his head, a bit embarrassed. After a few moments, Horatio pulled back and rested his forehead against Tim's. "Sorry," he said softly. "I had to get that bad taste out of my mouth."

Tim let out a snort of laughter, "I take it everything went well."

Horatio replied, "Yeah, but we're out. By the end of today, the whole department will know."

Eric cleared his throat and suddenly Horatio realized that they weren't alone. He glanced over Tim's shoulder at the other two CSI's and blushed slightly. "I, uh… sorry I didn't see you guys there," he said sheepishly.

"It's okay," Calliegh said, fanning herself. "That was hot."

Eric burst out laughing. "You would say that," he said.

888

Horatio and Tim stood in their back yard, surrounded by their friends. Horatio said to Tim, "I don't think he's gonna show. We should go ahead." Tim nodded knowing Horatio's disappointment that Frank would decide not to be here. But he was surprised when he look up and saw Detective Tripp approaching them.

"Sorry I'm late. Hit traffic on the way here," he said. "Did I miss anything?"

Horatio smiled and shook his hand. "Just in time, Frank. Just in time."

He waved over to Stephen who made the announcement calling the crowds attention. "Friends," he said and he made his way to Horatio and Tim. "We all know what these two have gone through to get to this moment. Now, let's let them declare their commitment to each other in front of all of these witnesses." He looked back at the happy couple and said, "Gentlemen."

Horatio took Tim's hand and looked him in the eyes. "Our choice is made. Our minds are clear and our hearts strong. This love means more to us than anything else in life. There is no person, precondition, or approval I value more than your love. There is no obstacle I would not overcome to reach you. I give myself to our union. I welcome you as my partner in life. May our love forever keep us strong." He slipped the ring on to Tim's finger.

Tim smiled and took a deep breath. "When I lost David, I thought my life had ended. But, having found you, I have decided that there is no moment in my life more significant than this one. This moment I offer myself and all that I will become to you. May we share with each other, from this day on, the unending joy of growth and discovery." He slipped the ring on to Horatio's finger.

Stephen stepped in and took each of their hands and placed Horatio's hand over Tim's. "In the eyes of God, I pronounce you married." He let go of their hands, but they remained joined. Stephen looked at them and said, "Well?"

Horatio ducked his head, then leaned in and gave Tim a kiss. Not satisfied with a chaste kiss, Tim wrapped his arms around Horatio's neck and pushed his tongue past his lips. Horatio gave in and returned the gesture as the crowd applauded and cheered.

A bit later, as the music played and they danced together, Horatio glanced around at all of their friends crowded into their small yard and said to Tim, "I think we're going to need a bigger place."

Tim smirked at him and replied, "Well, if you hadn't sold your house…"

"As I recall," Horatio said as he leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, "you didn't approve of my kitchen. That's how I ended up living here."

"Mmm. So I suppose we start looking for a house when we get back from Key West, then," Tim replied. "One with an acceptable kitchen."

Horatio gave him a blinding smile. "Sounds like a plan."

Fin


End file.
